The Economist Intelligence Unit’s index of democracy

[Andrew Green]

Sweden, a near-perfect democracy, comes top, followed by a bevy of similarly virtuous northern European countries. More surprising are the relatively modest scores for two traditional bastions of democracy—Britain and the United States. In America there has been a perceptible erosion of civil liberties related to the fight against terrorism. Long-standing problems in the functioning of government have also become more prominent. In Britain, too, there has been some erosion of civil liberties but also a shocking decline in political participation. Britain’s score in this area is the lowest in the West and is reflected across all dimensions—voter turnout, membership of political parties, willingness to engage in politics and attitudes towards it.

Article:
http://www.economist.com/theworldin/international/displayStory.cfm?story_id=8166790&d=2007

Index and Explanation of criteria:
http://www.economist.com/media/pdf/DEMOCRACY_INDEX_2007_v3.pdf

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Nice find Andrew.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Article:
http://www.economist.com/theworldin/international/displayStory.cfm?story_id=8166790&d=2007

Index and Explanation of criteria:
http://www.economist.com/media/pdf/DEMOCRACY_INDEX_2007_v3.pdf

While I agree that our freedoms and rights have been impacted, and I do not like it, I would like to point out that we have a republic and a non-popular vote (* electoral college *) for the election of the president.

So, even with their definitions I am still not on the same page, but I understand their point. I just think they have added to the confusion, by not pointing out that a democracy is voting on all issues to republic wih representatives of some form to other forms or governements.